BRSD Board Votes to Consider Closure Or Consolidation of Schools Every Student, Every Day, a Success

Board of Trustees Battle River School Division

BRSD Board votes to consider closure or consolidation of schools Every Student, Every Day, A Success. Faced with ongoing budget challenges, caused in large part by declining rural school populations, the Battle River School Division Board of Trustees passed a series of motions at their January 23 meeting The Board of Trustees that will allow them to consider the possible closure or consolidation of some of the Division’s smaller schools, effective June 30, 2020. Board Chair: Norm Erickson

Vice Chair: Karen Belich The Board voted to consider:  Closure of Allan Johnstone School in Hardisty; Beaver County East: Lyle Albrecht  Closure of Round Hill School; West: Zsuzsanna Hemperger  Relocating Grades 10 to 12 from Ryley School and consolidating Holden School and Ryley School into one K to 9 school site. Camrose County North: Karen Belich South: Kendall Severson Over the next two months, the school division will compile and consider information on the potential implications of these changes and share Flagstaff County information with families at public meetings, as well as invite input either East: Laurie Skori West: Jeff Kimball in writing or through a presentation to the Board.

City of Camrose Public meetings will take place at: Norm Erickson  Allan Johnstone School, on Wednesday, February 12 at 7 p.m. Val Sims  Round Hill School on Thursday, February 6 at 7 p.m. Administration  Holden School, on Monday, February 10 at 7 p.m.

Superintendent: As Board Chair Norm Erickson said at the January 23 meeting, these are Rita Marler not decisions that will be made lightly. Assistant Supt, Learning: “We’ve been watching the enrollments of these schools; we’ve been Shan Jorgenson-Adam considering a wide range of actions that will help us address our budget Assistant Supt, System Supports shortfall; and we’ve been listening to our stakeholders input to the online Natasha Wilm consultation process. There are lot of difficult decisions to make. We have to put all options on the table for consideration.” Assistant Supt, Business: Imogene Walsh The Board will vote on whether or not to proceed with these closures and consolidations on Thursday, March 19.

These deliberations are likely only the beginning of possible changes to educational services Battle River School Division will make for next year. Continued . . .

For more information contact Diane Hutchinson, Director of Communications 5402-48A Avenue, Camrose, Alberta, T4V 0L3 Ph. 780-672-6131 ext. 5248; Cell 780-806-6632; [email protected] 780-672-6131; www.brsd.ab.ca Board of Trustees Battle River School Division

Battle River School Division announced in December that they had depleted their available reserves in order to balance the current year budget without making big reductions in staffing or implementing fees for parents. With no reserves available in the future, BRSD cannot continue to provide services the same way. Many changes will have to be made for next school year, which begins in September 2020. The Board of Trustees Round Two of Public Consultation generates lots of thoughts More than 900 people took part in the second round of the school Board Chair: Norm Erickson division’s online public consultation between December 13 and Jan. 10. Vice Chair: Karen Belich Beaver County The question was:What are the best ways to balance class sizes and East: Lyle Albrecht maximize options and opportunities for all students, while maintaining West: Zsuzsanna Hemperger the financial viability of our school division?Responses indicate there is Camrose County strong support for maintaining school-based staffing levels as much as North: Karen Belich possible and focusing changes and reductions outside of classrooms, South: Kendall Severson including by reducing division-level staff. Flagstaff County

East: Laurie Skori In addition, there were a number of specific suggestions. Here is a West: Jeff Kimball ranked listing, based on the number of people who brought each suggestion forward: City of Camrose Norm Erickson - closing or combining schools Val Sims - increasing technology use - considering a 4-day school week Administration - adjusting school attendance boundaries Superintendent: - reducing PD Rita Marler - charging fees Assistant Supt, Learning: - and more. Shan Jorgenson-Adam

The Board will take all these comments and suggestions into considera- Assistant Supt, Systems Support tion as they plan for the coming years. Natasha Wilm

School Calendar Assistant Supt, Business: The Board approved the school calendar for the 2020-2021 school year. Imogene Walsh Students will begin classes on Tuesday, September 1 and have their last day on Wednesday, June 30. The complete calendar will be posted on the BRSD website at brsd.ab.ca

BRSD retains COR status with WCB The school division went through a safety audit last fall, in order to maintain their Certificate of Recognition status with the Workers’ Compensation Board, which demonstrates a commitment to providing safe work places and also leads to a reduction in our WCB premiums.

- information from the January 23, 2020 meeting of the BRSD Board of Trustees